Power-table for factory use.



R. I. HEARNE.

POWER TABLE FoH FACTORY USE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. I9I5. 1,163,39. Izlreu'ed D60. 7', 1915.

NK xu ev\ i HHHUIHQ JV a |II1 @IH IMI S? R. I. HEARNE.

PGWER TABLE FOR FACTORY USE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. I9I5.

Patented Dec. 7, 191

3 SHEETS-.SHEET 2- nvm/70H:

/wT'oR/VEI/` R. I. HEARNE.

POWER TABLE FR FACTORY USE.

APPLICATION FILED MIIYZQ. I9I5. 1,168,340. Pawned D90. 7, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTOR/VEI/ I ROBERT J'. HEARNE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWER-TABLE FOR FACTORY USE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten nee.' t, reis.

Application filed May 29, 191,5. Serial No. 31,123.

To all whom it may Concern.'

Be it known that Ronnnfr J. HEARNE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Tables for Factory Use, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains more particularly to tables or benches to be used in factories for supporting high speed sewing machines and other small machines, with the proper driving connections therefor, and the purpose of the invention is to provide a table or bench of this character composed of transverse or cross-sectional units properly spaced apart at their outer portions and capable, except possibly at the end units, of

supporting a machine at each end thereof.V

My invention has been produced with the view of providing a very durable bench or table of the character referred to adapted more particularly for high speed sewing machines of the kind used in the manufacture and trimming of hats, although of course the bench or table may be used for supporting small machines other than sewing machines.

Power benches or tables for sewing machines, particularly hat sewing machines, as heretofore produced, have been deficient in man v ways; they have been lacking in the requisite degree of strength and rigidity and consequently have been inefficient in firmly supporting the sewing machines, as a consequence of which the machines have created a great deal more noise than otherwise would be necessary. |llhe lack of strength and rigidity in the benches or tables has also resulted in the table requiring to be renewed or repaired with undue frequency and in the development of other undesirable conditions. Many of these tables as heretofore made have consisted of three long parallel sections weakened by cutting at the points where the operators are supposed to sit and fastened together in such manner that the construction was rickety and the table or bench vibrated badly during the operation of the high speed machines. In addition, these prior tables could only be moved by taking them entirely apart so that on moving one of the prior tables from one place to the other the material moved was mainly a pile of lumber.

My invention provides a particularly du;

rable structure and one in which each crosssectional unit is self-contained and can be moved as a Whole. The table or bench as a whole supports a driving shaft extending from end to end thereof and this shaft must of course be detached before the" cross-sectional units may be separated for removal. A table of any desired length may be built up of the sectional units, and if at any time a longer table or vone of increased capacity should become necessary, an additional unit orbladditional units may be added to the ta e.

l illustrate my invention herein as embodied in a bench or table for supporting hat sewing machines, with the driving connections therefor, Figure 1 being a top view, of a bench or table embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section on a larger scale, taken `on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. l, Fig. et a. vertical longitudinal section, partly broken away, through the table taken on the dotted lined-4: of Fig. l; Fig. 5 a detached view, partly broken away, of one of the table unitsplus one of the longitudinal members connecting said units and suitably spacing them apart; Fig. 6 a horizontal section through the four legs of one unit of the table with the means connecting and bracing them so that the unit as a whole may be moved about with convenience, the section being on the dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 an enlarged detached view, partly broken away and partly in section, of one of the table legs and connections therefor, the sectional portion of Fig. 7 be- In the drawings, 10 designates the two end units, as a whole, of the table or bench,

1l each of the intermediate units as a whole, and 12y longitudinal members connecting said units in pairs and affording augiiliary tables upon which the operatives may place small articles and which afford supports for drawers within which the operatives may keep Small items incidental to their work. There will be employed as many units ll as may be required and these units will be connected together and suitably spaced apart by the members 12. The outer units vll will also be connected with the end units 10 by the members 12.

Each unit 11 comprises a strong durable top or bed 13 preferably of laminated character, four legs 14, one being at each corner of the said top or bed and preferably being of pipe construction, a center cast leg or support 15 whose outline is shown more clearly in Fig. 3, a brace 16 extending upwardly and outwardly from about the middle portion of the leg or support 15 and secured at its upper outer end by means of a bolt 17 (F ig. 4) and suitable transverse and longitudinal rods 18, 19, respectively, connecting the four legs 14, said rods being bolted to clamps 2O affording tubular or sleeve portions 21 of split ring character embracing and tightening upon said legs, as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 7 The top 13 of each unit is of considerable thickness and of laminated character as aforesaid and all this is for the purpose of providing a top which will be lasting, very durable, capable of withstanding the strains to which these power benches are subjected and not liable to warp, w hich is a great objection to benches supporting high speed sewing machines, andthe top or bed 13 to each unit 11 is greater in width than length and extends laterally beyond the connecting members 12 for the units 11. Upon diagonally opposite corners of each top or bed 13, this being the left hand corner facing the side edge of said top or bed, are mounted sewing machines 22, whose work supporting portions extend over the end edge of said top or bed, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to allow a hat for instance to revolve on a plane lower than the sewing machine and out-` wardly from the transverse edge of the table or bed 13, as the work proceeds in the ordinary course of sewing hats made of braid, straw and the like. 1n trimming hats already formed the same condition exists, that of the hat extending downwardly from the bed plate of the sewing machine and along the transverse edge of the top or bed 13. The. top or bed 13 of each unit 11 is, adjacent to the drive wheel of the sewing machines, vertically slotted, as at 23, to permit the usual driving beltl 24 to extend therethrough and be connected with the drive wheel of the sewing machine. The belt 24 is mounted at its lower portion on a friction transmitter 25 of usual character-suspended below the top or bed 13 and controllable from the foot of the operative by means of the customary foot treadle 26 and connecting rod 27, as usual. The constantly rotating member of the friction transmitter mechanism is driven by a belt 28 from the power shaft 29 and belt wheel 30 thereon. The power shaft 29 extends the full length of the entire bench or table and the mechanismfor driving a sewing machine therefrom as just hereinbeforereferred to and as illustrated in the various figures of the drawing,is duplicated for each machine on the units 10,

sockets are formed with laterally extending arms 33 which are fastened to the top or bed 13, as shown in Fig, 3; the screws for securing the arms 33 at those corners of the top orbed 13 not directly supporting a. sewing machine, will be of the usual character indicated by dotted lines 34, and in addition to the screws which secure the arms 33 to the lower side of the top or bed 13 at those corners thereof directly supporting sewing machines there are also others in the form of bolts 35 which extend downwardly from the sewing machines through holes 36 in the top or bed 13 and through holes in the arms 33 and receive on their lower ends thumb nuts 86 by which in connection with the bolts 35 the sewing machines may be detachably held in position on the table top or bed and the arms 33 clamped against the lower surface of said top or bed, as shown at the upper left hand corner of Fig. 3.

1t is to b e observed that the legs 14 are at'the extreme lcorners of each tabletop or bed 13 and so disposed therefore as to properly and with requisite rigidity support said top or bed and the sewing machines thereon, strength and' prevention of vibration being thereby. secured. Each unit 11 is further strengthened as to its supporting members and as a whole by means of the transverse and longitudinal bars 18, 19, these rods being horizontal and located on a plane suitably above the power shaft 29 and rigidly secured by the clamps or coupling members 20. The clamps or coupling members 2O each have a split-sleeve portion 21 whose ends are formed with apertured lugs or ears 37 and each of said portions 21 is formed with a rigid ear or lug 38. Each rod 18 extends 4through the ear 38 of one clamp or coupling member 20 and through both ears or lugs 37 of the next alined clamp or coupling member 20, as shown at the upper and lower portions of Fig. 6, and the rod 18 at one end has a. nut 39 to engage the lug 38 and at its other end is also threaded and has a nut 40 by which, against the resistance of a washer 41 on the rod, the lugs 3T may be forced toward each other and the sleeve member 21 of the coupling thereby clamped firmly against the leg 14. The longitudinal rods 19 correspond in construction, arrangement and function with the rods 18, each of said rods 19 having a nut 42 to engage a lug 38 of one coupling member 20 and also a threaded end and nut 43 at its other end, whereby the ears 37 of the coupling member at said end of the rod 19 may,

Liu

44, be forced toward each other so as to firmly clamp the coupling member on the leg. 14 and at the same time rigidly secure the -rod itself. The tightening of the nuts 40, 43 serve to firmly and rigidly secure the rods 18, 19 in proper relation to each other and to rigidly connect the legs 14.

The central supporting frames or legs 15 will be castings, as clearly shown, and extend laterally and centrallyT below each top or bed 13 and said supporting frames or legs 15 are each formed with two feet 45 to engage the floor 46 and at its upper' end with a laterally extended flange or surface 47 upon which the top or bed 13 is rigidly secured by screws 48. lllhe supporting frames or legs 15 are each formed with a cross-bar 49 and upon these cross-bars are secured by bolts 50 customary hangers 51 for the bearings for the driving shaft 29. The hangers 5l are in themselves of customary form and construction and hence the details thereof need not be gone into. The driving shaft is supported by all of the frames or legs 15, since saidshaft extends the full length of the, table or bench. Upon the cross-bars 49 of the supporting frames or legsv 15 i secure by bolts curved brackets or arms 52 'extending downwardly and toward each side of the table or bench, as shown in F ig. 3, and to the outer ends of these arms 52 llsecure by bolts long downwardly and inwardly inclined boards 53 which serve as skirt guards for the operatives while at work, these boards 53 keeping the skirts of the operatives from being caught on the power shaft 29 or wheels 30 or between the said wheels and belts 28.'

'lhe skirt guards or boards 53 are safety devices and their use is therefore optional,

although highly desirable.

The brace 16 for each unit'll is secured i at its upper end by the bolt 17 as aforesaid,

said bolt being extended through a laterally turned ear at the upper end of said brace, as shown in Figi 4, and fastened by a nut. The braces 16 each incline inwardly and downwardly from the bolts 17; at their lower ends each brace is formed with an angular flange 54 which engages the side of the cross bar 49 of the supporting frame or leg 15 and receives the head of the bolt 50v by which the hanger 51 is secured to said cross-bar 49. rlhve upper end of each supporting-frame or leg 15 is not only fass tened to the top or bed 13 of each unit by screws 48, but also by a bolt 55 which passes downwardly through a hole in the center of said table or bed and through a hole in the upper transverse member of the frame or leg 15 and receives a nut 56 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, whereby the frame or leg 15 becomes rigidly secured by very durable means in proper relation to the top or bed 13, and said top or bed 13 becomes very firmly held down upon said frame or leg 15.

Each unit 11 is, as may be understood from the description already presented, complete and self-contained and may be applied to or removed from the bench or table as an entirety, all the parts being thoroughly fastened together and the whole being rigid and of very durable character. lin taking the table apart so as to move it, it will of course be necessary to remove the driving shaft 29 and skirt guards 53, since the driving shaft and skirtV guards extend through all of the units.

The end units 10 while of the same extent laterally as the units 11, are less in longitudinal width and each of said units is intended to support one sewing machine.

Each of the units 10 is equipped with legs 13 of the units 11. rlhe top or bed 57 of each 9 unit 10 is formed with a slot 58 for the belt of a sewing machine, this slot being at one side'of one top lor bed 57 and at the opposite side of the other top or bed 57, as shown in Fig. 1.

Below the outer edge of the top or bed 57 of each unit 10 is a supporting leg or frame 59 corresponding with the supporting frames or legs 15 of the units 11 and therefore not requiring special description. The upper ends of the supporting frames or legs 59 are secured to the tops or beds 57 by means of screws 60 and a bolt 61 corresponding with the screws 48 and bolt 55 indicated in Fig. 3 as securing thel supporting leg or frame 15 to the top or bed 13 of aunit 11. A downwardly and-outwardly inclined brace 62 aids in securing the top or bed 57 of each unit 10 from the supporting frame or leg 59, and this brace 62 corresponds exactly with the brace 16 used in the units 11 with the eX- ception that it inclines downwardly and outwardly instead of downwardly and inwardly, this difference in inclination being Arendered necessary from the fact that the tudinal members 12, lthese members all being substantially alike and each being `a piece and extend about up to the upper flanged ends of the supporting frames or legs 15, as

y shown-at the middle portion of Fig. 1, and

said members 12 are secured to the tops or beds 13' of-the units they connect by means -'o f screws'o and bolts 17, 67, the bolts 17 being the ones hereinbefore referred to as securing the upper ends of the braces 16 and the bolts 67 being independent bolts extend- .ing downwardly through the top or bed and underlying portion 0f themembers 12. 'llhe members 12 connecting the end units 10 with the adjacent units 11 correspond with the members 12 connecting the units 11 in pairs, as may be observed from the end portions of Figs. 1 and 2, and these end members l2 'are secure'd at one end below the top or bed 57 of the end units by means of screws 68 and the boltsl63 by which the upper ends of the braces 62A are securedv to said tops or beds, the screws 68 corresponding exactly with the screws 66 employed in fastening the intermediate members 12 to the units 11. r1 `he other or inner end of the end members 12 are fastened to the underside of the tops or beds of the adjacent units 11 by means of screws 69 and bolts 17, 71 respectively, the bolt 71.being an independent bolt, as shown in Fig. .1, and serving for the inner end of one end member 12 while the bolt 17 serving for the inner end of the other end member l2 is the bolt which secures the upper end of the brace 16 to the to-p or-bed of the unit 11.

1 only illustrate two of the intermediate units 11, but it will be readily understood that this power table or bench is a built-up structure so far as length is concerned and that as many of the units 1l, with the appropriate connecting and spacing members 12, will be made use of as may be necessary. Ordinarily a larger number than two of the intermediate units 11 will'be employed, but

v the/illustration in Figs. 1 and 2 represents the invention so long as it is understood that 'the invention is not confined to the employment of any special number of units of the character described.

The connecting and spacing members 12 i are less in width than thel tops or beds of the units, and hence between the side portions of the units are left gaps or spacca..v which 1 will number forv purposes of identification 72, for the convenience of the operatives seated at the machines 22. The gaps or spaces 72 are essential-so that the operative said machine, and it is to be observed that each operative sitting at a sewing machine may not only conveniently employ the gap or space 72 for a portion of her body, but may also make use of the adjacent portion of the top or bed of the unit next adjacent to her for placing the work or material thereon, this convenience arising fromthe fact that the sewing machines so far as the units 11 are concerned, are at the left hand corner of each side of the unit, as hereinbefore explained. The operative sitting at a sewing machine may, therefore, not only have theconvenience of the corner portion of the unit on which the machine is placed, but also the corner portion of the adjacent end of the adjacent-unit, as well as the exposed top of the adjacent connecting and spacing member 12 and the drawer supported by said member.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: K

1. A factory work bench or table comprising ya plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof, a transverse supporting leg frame for and secured to each bed portion vand rods connecting said corner legs. and

said connecting members adording auxiliary tables and being less in width'than the table portions of said units and secured at their ends thereto and spacing the same apart.

2. A factory work bench or table comi prising a pluralitv of units and members, connecting the same@ said units comprising tableor bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof, a transverse supporting leg frame for and secured to each bed portion and rods connecting said' corner legs, and

prising a pluralitv of vunits and members connecting the same, said units comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof and a transverse supporting leg frame for and secured to each bedportion, and said connecting members affording auxiliary tables and being less in width than the table portions of said units and secured at their ends against the lower surface thereof and spacing the same apart, said units each having an inclined brace secured at its lower end to said transverse frame and at its upper end .to an underlapping portion of one of said connecting members and the table or bed portion of the unit.

4. A factory work bench or table comprising a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof, rods connecting said corner legs and means for tightening said rods in their connection with said legs, and said connecting members affording auxiliary tables and being less in width than the table portions of said units and detachably secured at their ends thereto and spacing the same apart.

5. A factory work bench or table comprising a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof and means engaging and connecting said legs comprising clamps encompassing and bound to said legs and rods connecting said clamps, and said connecting .members affording auxiliary tables and being less'in width than the table portions of said units and detachably secured at their ends thereto and spacing the same apart.

6. A factory work-bench or table comprising-a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof and means engaging and connecting said legs comprising clamps encompassing and bound to said legs and rods connecting said clamps, and said connecting members affording auxiliary tables and being less in width than the table portions of said units and detachably secured at their ends thereto and spacing the same apart, said clamps being in the form of split sleeves having individual ears for one end o-f the rods and two ears for the other end of the rods, and said rods being threaded at their ends and equipped with nuts for tightening said rods in their connection with said legs ind for binding said split sleeves upon said egs.

7. A factory work bench or table comprising a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units each comprising tab-le or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof, a transverse supporting leg frame for each bed portion, means for securing the ends of the upper portion of said frame to the lower side of said table or bed portion and a bolt extending downwardly through said bed portion andthe upper part of said frame and securing said frame and said bed portion together, and said connecting members being of table formation and less in width than the table portions of said units and extending closely below the same and spacing said portions apart, said units each having an inclined brace secured at its lower end to its said transverse frame and at its upper end being below an underlapping portion of one of said connecting members, and a bolt extending through the bed portion of the unit, said underlapping portion of the connecting member and the upper end of said brace.

8. A factory work bench or table comprising a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units each comprising a table or bed portion, supporting legs at the corners thereof and a transverse supportion leg frame for and secured to each bed portion and having hangers for apower shaft, and said connecting members affording auxiliary tables and being less in width than the table portion of said units and secured at their ends against the lower surface thereof and spacing the same apart, said units each having an inclined brace secured at its lower end to said transverse frame and at its upper end to the table portion of the unit adjacent to its outer transverse edge and each unit being equipped with power transmission devices and slotted for the passage therethrough of the driving belt of a machine.

9. A factory work bench or table comprising a plurality of units and members connecting the same, said units each comprising table or bed portions, supporting legs at the corners thereof, a transverse supporting leg frame for and secured to each bed portion and a stiffening member, and said connecting members affording auxiliary tables and being less in width than the table portions of said units and secured at their ends thereto and spacing the same apart, said transverse frames having hangers for the bearings of a power shaft and laterally extending bracket arms carrying at their outer ends skirt guards.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 27th day of May, A. D. 1915.

ROBERT J. HEARNE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. C. GILL, ARTHUR MARION. 

